Giveaway, Take 2

Well, I'm tempted to say I really "screwed the pooch" here, but no one thinks that saying is as funny as I do!  (Really, ask my fiance, that phrase has been in my head all week and I think it's hilarious.  I keep trying to find a way to bring it into the conversation naturally at my day job.  I haven't yet.)

At any rate,  I messed up and want to try again!

I announced a giveaway, launched a new product and then disappeared!  

As you may remember, I'm getting married.  (Omigosh, NEXT MONTH!)  We are having a green, diy wedding.  Making mostly everything ourselves, searching for plates at thrift stores, making little flower pots, decoupaging old jars for centerpieces, skipping through the woods in search of fallen branches, sewing a lot of napkins and tablecloths, etc.  (that etc. includes A LOT of stuff.)  While I am very on top of things and feel really great about how much we have accomplished, suddenly I realized there were a lot more projects to do, and that projects were taking long than I thought and I really needed my mom for another weekend of help.

And she came to help and we conquered!

But, my poor blog, giveaway and new Altered Art Jewelry Digital Program suffered.

So, I'm extending the giveaway!  Yay!!

Plus, I'll be releasing some more individual tutorials very soon, so we can celebrate them!  (Scrabble Tile Pendants Tutorial, Altered Art Charm Bracelet Tutorial and Bottle Cap Pendant Tutorial)

If you want to be in the running for some cool prizes, head over to my giveaway post to get all the details.

I'm extending the entry date until Monday, April 9, 2012. (I'll pick the winners sometime in the evening.)

Thanks for understanding and Good Luck!!

Tutorial: Bracelet Made from old Slides

Recently a lot of slides have come into my life.  Lancaster Creative Reuse seems to have a never-ending supply of them from an Art History department.  Then I also recently came across a bunch that belonged to a widower without any family.  They would have been thrown out.

Where you can find slides:  estate sales, garage sales, thrift stores, auctions.  Just keep your mind and eyes open and you'll find them!  

Supplies and Materials:

(what on earth is going on here?!?)

• Slides (I used 5)

• 7 mm jump rings (22)

• Lobster clasp

• 2 pairs of pliers

Step #1

I didn't take a photo, but I removed the slides from the protectors.  Sometimes they are the plastic protectors.  Keep those!  You can find so many other things to do with them!  These were the cardboard and they were pretty destroyed when I got the slides out.

Step #2

Connect the slides together with 2 jump rings, 1 in each corner.

I used 5 slides.  You may not need as many.  You can also add more jump rings and use less slides.

Step #3

On the end slides make a chain of 3 jump rings on each corner.

Step #4

Connect the 2 chains with another jump ring.

Step #5

Do steps #3 and #4 on the other end.  When you add the final jump ring, add the lobster clasp to it before closing.

Step #6

Enjoy your unique bracelet!

If you need some extra help with jump rings or want to make more unique jewelry, check out my How to Make Extraordinary Jewelry from Ordinary Objects Workshop (a/k/a How to Make Hardware Jewelry Workshop.)  Available for purchase + instant download in my Craftsy Store.

52 Weeks of Handmade Earrings

A new year brings on new goals, new resolutions, a fresh start.  Or so we think.  As I move along in my life the years go so quickly and before you know it, another year has passed and you don’t even know what happened.

Through the years I've tied making a more visual, physical reminder of my year.  I’ve tried (without success) to document my life in daily photographs.  I’ve tried to create every day for a month (although I did create each day, I didn’t really work very much on the project I was attempting to finish) and other daily projects, all without success.

This year I decided to try something different.  Instead of daily, I’ll be making something weekly.  And instead of it being a huge project that takes a lot of time, I’ll be making earrings.  1 pair per week.

Each week I will make 1 pair of earrings.  I’m making them for myself (although if you all love the design, I may put them in my line).  I’ll share my earrings each week here on my blog.

Since 2 weeks have passed this year already, I have 2 pairs of earrings to share.

Week #1

This pair was made with washers, beads made from lava and clear glass beads.  I have already worn these earrings quite a bit.

Week #2

Earrings made from bobbins from a sewing machine.  I actually use plastic bobbins with my sewing machine because that's what they came with.  I love the metal and have a few sets from a large sewing kit I got at a yard sale.  I think they make adorable earrings!

How do you like my new earrings?  Have you considered doing something like this for the new year?

Artwork Pendants New Shop, New Website

I have a brand new website and shop for my artwork pendants.

Artwork pendants is the B.B. Bellezza line that includes my collaborations with indie artists and art pendants made with famous paintings prints.

Please check out my shop, the Artwork Pendants Blog and Facebook page.

I would appreciate if you would check out the shop and blog, and like my page on facebook!

And, if you are an artist who would like to collaborate with me, or you have a suggestion for one, please contact me.